BIRMINGHAM — Four Mexican nationals have been hit with federal charges for illegally sneaking back into the United States after being formally deported, including two who returned following felony convictions, federal prosecutors announced Thursday. The indictments, handed down by a federal grand jury, mark the latest crackdown on illegal re-entry in Alabama’s Northern District.
The defendants are identified as FELIPE MARTINEZ-ARRELLANES, 35; MIKE SIERRA, 40; RICARDO VASQUEZ-ALFEREZ, 38; and FRANCISCO VERA-MARTIN, 46. Each faces charges of unlawful re-entry as removed aliens, a federal crime carrying stiff penalties. The cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and are being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town’s office.
VASQUEZ-ALFEREZ was found in Marshall County on Feb. 4, despite being deported to Mexico in July 2009 after an aggravated felony conviction. That charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. MARTINEZ-ARRELLANES was found in Tuscaloosa County on Jan. 18, after being removed in June 2013 following a separate felony conviction. His maximum penalty is 10 years and $250,000.
SIERRA was encountered in Tuscaloosa County on Dec. 6, despite having been removed twice—first in July 2014, then again in February 2016. VERA-MARTIN was found in Jefferson County on Nov. 14, after prior removals in December 2010 and August 2017. Both face up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine for illegal re-entry.
U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and HSI Special Agent in Charge Ray Parmer emphasized that these cases reflect ongoing efforts to target repeat immigration offenders, particularly those with criminal histories. “These individuals were ordered out of the country for a reason,” Parmer said. “Returning illegally, especially after felony convictions, won’t be tolerated.”
An indictment is not a conviction. Each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The cases are proceeding in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
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Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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